Calibrachoa plant named ‘Ficallinwhi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Ficallinwhi’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; white-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FICALLINWHI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Calibrachoa plant,botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Ficallinwhi’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new freely-branching Calibrachoaplants with compact and uniformly mounded plant habit, freely floweringhabit and attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in 2007 in De Lier, The Netherlands of two unnamedproprietary selections of Calibrachoa sp., not patented. The newCalibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, TheNetherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Calibrachoa plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environment conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Ficallinwhi’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Ficallinwhi’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoaplant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly mounding plant        habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. White-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the parentselections. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plantsof the parent selections in plant habit and flower size as plants of thenew Calibrachoa are more uniform and have larger flowers than plants ofthe parent selections.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of theCalibrachoa sp. ‘Filindura White’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.19,805. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, TheNetherlands, plants of the new Calibrachoa differed from plants of‘Filindura White’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more compact than and not        as trailing as plants of ‘Filindura White’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa were more uniformly flowering        than plants of ‘Filindura White’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Calibrachoa plant. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Ficallinwhi’ grown ina container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the late spring and early summerin 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, TheNetherlands and under commercial practices. During the production of theplants, day and night temperatures averaging 18° C. Plants were 13 weeksold when the photograph and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Ficallinwhi’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp., not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp., not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at            temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six to eight days at            temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 19            days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 14 to 21            days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and            uniformly mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth            habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about four            primary lateral branches per plant each with multiple            secondary lateral branches; pinching is typically not            required.        -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 40 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 17 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 0.5 cm to 1 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 3.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,            close to N137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 138B; venation, close to 138B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower form, flower arrangement and flowering            habit.—Salverform flowers arranged singly arising from leaf            axils; freely flowering habit with usually about 50 open            flowers and flower buds developing per plant; flowers face            upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 6.5            weeks after planting; flowering continuous from the spring            throughout the summer in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five days on the plant;            flowers persistent.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Length: About            1.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Close to NN155D.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.2 cm.        -   Flower throat.—About 7 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal lobe length: About            1.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.5 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Retuse. Petal margin: Entire. Petal            lobe texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Petal tube texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Petal, when            opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D. Petal,            fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D;            venation, close to NN155D. Throat: Close to 7A; venation,            close to 7A. Tube: Close to 8B; venation, close to 8B.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1.4 cm. Sepal width: About            4 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly oblong. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal            base: Cuneate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent. Sepal color, upper            surface: Close to 138A. Sepal color, lower surface: Close to            138B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Angle: About 40° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Filament length: About 1 cm. Filament color: Close to 4B.            Anther shape: Broadly reniform. Anther length: About 1 mm.            Anther color: Close to 4B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: Close to 22A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 9 mm. Style length: About 7 mm. Style            color: Close to 145A. Stigma shape: Three-lobed, flattened.            Stigma color: Close to 145A. Ovary color: Close to 145B.            Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Calibrachoa plants.

1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named ‘Ficallinwhi’ asillustrated and described.